Research Agenda

• PRIORITY THEMES FOR

MULTIDISCIPLINARY/MULTISECTORAL
RESEARCH IN LIGHT OF THE REALITIES THAT
THE COUNTRY IS NOW EXPERIENCING AND
WILL FACE IN THE FUTURE, RESEARCH ON
THE FOLLOWING THEMES SHALL BE
ENCOURAGED:
1. FOOD SAFETY AND SECURITY.  CONSIDERING THE
COUNTRY’S PRONENESS TO NATURAL HAZARDS AND DISASTERS AND
WITH ITS BOOMING POPULATION, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE
TO BE ASSURED OF AFFORDABLE AND SAFE FOOD ON THEIR TABLE.
FOOD SAFETY AND SECURITY PRIORITY AREAS

• NATURAL PRODUCTS, BIOCHEMISTRY,

BIOTECHNOLOGY, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

• SUGGESTED APPROACH: EXPLORATION OF NEW

RESOURCES AND MORE EFFICIENT PRODUCTIONS.
 Farmers to embrace biotechnology

Since 2008, the European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating & Cooling
(the RHC-Platform) brings together the major EU stakeholders from all relevant
renewable energy sources and related cross-cutting technologies to agree on a joint
strategy for increasing the use of renewable energy sources for heating and
cooling, to define short to long-term research and technological development
objectives and to lay down targets to reach by certain dates.
2. ENHANCING INDIGENOUS RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE IN THE
DOMESTIC ENERGY MIX. INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF INDIGENOUS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE INTO THE NATIONAL ENERGY  MIX WILL NOT ONLY
RESULT IN DOLLAR SAVING, AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, ENSURING ENERGY SECURITY. THE SEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND
EXPLOITATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES WILL INVOLVE A MULTI-
DISCIPLINARY APPROACH.
 RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH PRIORITIES

• INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS; MOLECULAR SIMULATION/MODELING; MATERIALS

SCIENCE (ALTERNATIVE ENERGY; ELECTRONICS APPLICATIONS, CATALYSTS,
ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION); NATURAL PRODUCTS (BIOFUELS); MATERIALS
RESEARCH (ENERGY, FUEL CELLS, NANOMATERIALS; ICT; FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS;
GREENER TECHNOLOGIES FOR MINERALS; COAL; GEOTHERMAL; PETROLEUM.

SUGGESTED APPROACH: DEVELOPMENT OF CLEAN TECHNOLOGY;

EXPLORATION OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES.
• DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES AND DIAGNOSTIC KITS USING INDIGENOUS
MATERIALS. EMERGING AND REEMERGING DISEASES HAVE ALWAYS
THREATENED THE GLOBAL AND REGIONAL SCENES. THE COUNTRY HAS TO BE
PREPARED FOR THESE BY HAVING THE APPROPRIATE MEDICATION, VACCINES
AND DIAGNOSTIC KITS THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE.
 HEALTH RESEARCH PRIORITIES

• BIOASSAYS; DIAGNOSTICS; DRUG/CARE DISCOVERY; BIOSENSORS; NATURAL

PRODUCTS (PHARMACEUTICALS, COSMECEUTICALS, NUTRACEUTICALS,
PESTICIDES); INSTRUMENTATION (DETECTION, ROBOTICS, MEDICAL PHYSICS)

• SUGGESTED APPROACH: RAPID ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE

CURE
• DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT. THE SHIFT FROM PREPAREDNESS TO
PREVENTION AND MITIGATION MODE IN OUR DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT
FRAMEWORK WOULD ENTAIL A LOT OF RESEARCH WORK NOT ONLY IN POLICY
FORMULATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND PUBLIC AWARENESS BUT ALSO
IN HARD SCIENCE (E.G. FORECASTING, STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING ASPECTS).
• POLLUTION CONTROL. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT
THE LAND, AIR AND WATER SHOULD BE STUDIED. A DEVELOPING
COUNTRY LIKE THE PHILIPPINES MUST ENSURE THAT PROGRESS IS
NOT COMPROMISED BY ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION.
 POLLUTION CONTROL RESEARCH
PRIORITIES
• PERSITENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS; HEAVY METALS; MARICULTURE-DERIVED POLLUTION;
VULNERABILITY OF BIODIVERSITY (PRIORITY RESEARCH SITES: MINDANAO SEA, BOHOL SEA,
SOUTHERN PALAWAN SEA, NORTHERN LUZON SEA; SULAWESI SEA, SULU SEA, STRAITS);
INSTRUMENTATION (DETECTION ANALYSIS, ROBOTICS, ATMOSPHERIC/ENVIRONMENTAL);
MATERIALS SCIENCE (ELECTRONICS APPLICATIONS, CATALYSTS, ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION);
NANOTECHNOLOGY

• MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO MEASUREMENT

AND MITIGATION; PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH ON
CARRYING CAPACITY OF ECOSYSTEMS.
Flow chart of vein river non-point pollution control.
• CLIMATE CHANGE SPECIFICALLY ON THE ISSUE OF
GLOBAL WARMING.  THE FOUR PILLARS OF THE BALI ACTION PLAN
DEALING WITH A) MITIGATION, B) ADAPTATION, C) TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER,
AND D) FINANCIAL RESOURCES ARE RICH SOURCES OF MULTI DISCIPLINARY
RESEARCH WORK. CONSIDERING THAT CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES DEAL WITH
FUTURE SCENARIOS, A WHOLISTIC APPROACH IS NECESSARY.
 CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH PRIORITIES

• PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY; MARINE COASTAL GEOLOGY;

ENGINEERING GEOLOGY; VOLCANOLOGY; HYDROLOGY;
SEISMOLOGY; VULNERABILITY OF BIODIVERSITY.

• SUGGESTED APPROACH: SCENARIO BUILDING

• FUTURE ASEAN. THE ASEAN CHARTER HAS COME INTO FORCE AND BY AY 2015,
WE WILL BE A SINGLE COMMUNITY. THE ASEAN WILL ALSO HAVE ITS OWN
LEGAL PERSONALITY.  IN THE PROCESS, IMMEDIATE STUDIES ON HOW TO
HANDLE THIS PENDING REALITY MUST BE DONE.
• PEACE PROCESS AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION . THIS IS A RICH SOURCE OF
RESEARCH WORK, THE RESULTS OF WHICH CAN BE APPLIED TO GOVERNANCE,
POLICIES AND DIRECTION SETTING.